Whats Wrong With Ian Forbes?

Ive just posted this message in another forum but seeing how it wound up as me spilling my guts about my own situation i thought id make a topic of it.

Anyway, i was wondering if Forbesy might have had a few tough breaks lately as his last few posts seem to have been a little on the damning side as far as his (and our) issues with the thais.

Hes normally very bright, upbeat and happy and its obvious hes forever greatful to be in LOS (as am i) so maybe he was just taking the piss in a few cases but i did notice comments about assuming the negative straight away as far as dealing with people here and referances to how some females have been a little unscrupulous with money and gifts ect??

So im wondering whats happened to Ian to temporarily squash that cheerful outlook??

None of my beeswax (or anyone elses of course) but i can see where he's coming from in his last few postings.(im sure we'd agree Ian is one of our famous faves on these pages)

SO in my situation:

In my boredom while temporarily here in Oz i was thinking of sending a little monthly cash to a certain upcountry pooying friend so she could get the net reconnected at the family home (they got it cut off due from lack of funds)..

I thought we could possibly talk on skype or she could brush up on writing Angrit with chat or email while im away, and having the net might be a way of brightening up what could sometimes be a dull day.

Well, i thought about it for 30 seconds and had to give myself an uppercut for even contemplating OFFERING a reason to send money as i have never done so before and never will..this from the things we know,suspect and hear on TV!!

The thing is id like to help out like that in some small way (they are not rich) but i cannot be sure that my doing so will not open the floodgates and turn a nice girl into someone that will go at it like a champion IF she gets a hint of being able to take advantage in that way....and especially if friends and family get into her ear about the supposed rich farang.

From what ive noticed about some thai behaviours (and neverending posts) its most probable that the money wouldnt even go into the net access at all and instead would frittered away on a 10 000 baht handbag or something with the excuse that she cant get it going and connection no good..ect ect

Still, she's never asked or hinted about me sending money while away so in my thinking t works both ways:

A. I like her and would like to help her or at least be a little kind in some small way BECAUSE of the fact that she hasnt shown any greed or made demands or acted in those ways before..

BUT...

B. Id have to be BAH MUK MUK to get her into the habit hey?

I can see what other posters would say..

id be inviting myself to be milked and be lined up with a mountain of expenses for everything
need money phone connection
need money microphone
computer broken, need money fix
need money power bill
connection no good
sick buffalo stomped on computer ect ect

and then at the end of the day i could find all the money went on something else.

SO thats the dliemna, my point is that its a shame that the actions of a few of the unscrupulous (or such as we percieve from TV) can sometimes affect the kindness that could have been directed to someone truelly worthy....

It's quite simple, Oz. I finally arrived at the comfortable expat world of thaivisa. For the first 12 years before finding thaivisa I wandered around Thailand with the simple wonderment of it all and you couldn't scrape the smile off my face with a knife. Now I've found that comfort zone of complaining about everything... just like the rest of the expats here. You could say some here have taught me very well.

It's quite simple, Oz. I finally arrived at the comfortable expat world of thaivisa. For the first 12 years before finding thaivisa I wandered around Thailand with the simple wonderment of it all and you couldn't scrape the smile off my face with a knife. Now I've found that comfort zone of complaining about everything... just like the rest of the expats here. You could say some here have taught me very well.

Never really saw you as one to follow the crowd Ian.......

More one for ignoring the crowd......so unlearn......and get back to smiling......

Life is a bit like "Great Expectations". Dont you often wonder if pip was better off not knowing and being satisfied with life? I suppose its all a take on that original bite of apple story...whatever that was all about.

Ian is the kind of guy (in my opinion) whose one of those "arty" types enjoys life people drawing photography and making things, always interested in everything the outdoors etc everything.
I would love to be like this!!

It's quite simple, Oz. I finally arrived at the comfortable expat world of thaivisa. For the first 12 years before finding thaivisa I wandered around Thailand with the simple wonderment of it all and you couldn't scrape the smile off my face with a knife. Now I've found that comfort zone of complaining about everything... just like the rest of the expats here. You could say some here have taught me very well.

Life is a bit like "Great Expectations". Dont you often wonder if pip was better off not knowing and being satisfied with life? I suppose its all a take on that original bite of apple story...whatever that was all about.

Life is a bit like "Great Expectations". Dont you often wonder if pip was better off not knowing and being satisfied with life? I suppose its all a take on that original bite of apple story...whatever that was all about.

Well everything in Thailand may not be great for you F1!!!..........but some people are capable of directing their lives in a positive manner, ignoring and overcoming what can amout to small insignificant difficulties and large ones too!!....... instead prefering to be appreciative and dwell on the more enhancing aspects of Thailand.

I firmly believe that this may become more difficult for some the longer a person has domiciled in Thailand......and that is a real shame.......

I like Ian spent many years coming to Thailand without being a member of TV. I happily stepped in the smelly stuff on occasion, found out all sorts of aspects good and not so good......but I have had a fantastic time in Thailand good and not so good experiences for many years......why do I like it here so much.......because I can look on the good side and leave the bad behind.......I doubt I could do that if I kept regurgitating my not so good experiences on TV on a regular basis!!!..........

Well everything in Thailand may not be great for you F1!!!..........but some people are capable of directing their lives in a positive manner, ignoring and overcoming what can amout to small insignificant difficulties and large ones too!!....... instead prefering to be appreciative and dwell on the more enhancing aspects of Thailand.

I firmly believe that this may become more difficult for some the longer a person has domiciled in Thailand......and that is a real shame.......

I like Ian spent many years coming to Thailand without being a member of TV. I happily stepped in the smelly stuff on occasion, found out all sorts of aspects good and not so good......but I have had a fantastic time in Thailand good and not so good experiences for many years......why do I like it here so much.......because I can look on the good side and leave the bad behind.......I doubt I could do that if I kept regurgitating my not so good experiences on TV on a regular basis!!!..........

I'm just pointing out that denying the negatives about life here is delusional. Also, to always agree with other posters (or disagree in such a way that others barely realise it) is not really posting at all.

To interpret that in a way to assume I'm "going through a bad time" is to miss the point entirely.

As a regular peruser I've picked up a lot of good gen from Ian since joining, and yes I've also noticed the sea change as well.

As far as internet money goes, the real worry is whether it goes into the internet connection or a handbag - but then you have a practical way of checking on that right?

As far as the "flood gates" go, well if they open, then you accept the reality and tell'em to take a hike. If they're lucky, at least they got an internet connection out of you - which won't break your bank - and may open the path to untold wealth for them on thailovelinks

It's quite simple, Oz. I finally arrived at the comfortable expat world of thaivisa. For the first 12 years before finding thaivisa I wandered around Thailand with the simple wonderment of it all and you couldn't scrape the smile off my face with a knife. Now I've found that comfort zone of complaining about everything... just like the rest of the expats here. You could say some here have taught me very well.

hehe..yep it can be a convenient stress buster to think along the lines of b*ugger it all, if you cant beat em join em..ect ect..

But thats not the Forbesy we know...not for this long anyway...

And besides someones gotta balance out the bad crap and remind us of the good things that we initially thought kept us here (or keep us coming back) to LOS...since many the TV expert has painstakingly explained to us that we were deluded at the time and had rose tinted glasses on, and pointed out how silly we were to have believed all thais wanted to be mates with us because they thought farangs were cool

But no,you dont fool me for a minute old mate, especially after 12 years, you cant just change teams that quickly, its like wearing your yellow undies on saturday and leaving em on to go to a tacko rally on Sunday...

No no no, me thinks something big has happened in the life of Ian thats started you off thinking in this way, especially after this post:

Stay home, it's a terrible place. It's over run with sex perverts. The government is trying desperately to get rid of the tourists in Pattaya. The police are all crooked. There are double standards for tourists and locals. Everyone is trying to scam you and quite successful at it. There are crooked timeshare salesmen everywhere. The Indian suit makers won't leave you alone. You can't get a reasonable paying job even if you get a work permit. And you'll have to bribe an official to get one. The local women only want you for your money, and insist that you to buy her family a big home. And when you do, she dumps you and keeps the house. They are killing tourists by the car load and the police just stand around and watch. The tuk tuk drivers are all crooks and beat you up. And, worst of all, you can't get a decent hamburger. Better stay home or go to some friendly country... like say New Zealand or Australia.

now thats an impressive rap i must say, but when a normally optimistic fella like Ian comes out with that, what hope have the rest of us got

come to think of it this is the exact line of thought i use to mask my real feelings when i occasionally have to go home to oz...

I'm just pointing out that denying the negatives about life here is delusional. Also, to always agree with other posters (or disagree in such a way that others barely realise it) is not really posting at all.

To interpret that in a way to assume I'm "going through a bad time" is to miss the point entirely.

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Like you assumed Ian had "learnt the 'hard' way"

I really find it unbelievably arrogant that any sane person would make the assumption that a person was denying that there are both positive and negative aspects in all walks of life........

They just choose to ignore negative because that is your thought not theirs!!!!...... they look for the positive......they move on.....they seek happiness

And sometimes I wonder how they continue.......with all the people out there who are so keen to provide evidence of their own negative 'experiences'.....there is a big difference between constructive advice.......and blatant bitter cynical criticism!!!

As a regular peruser I've picked up a lot of good gen from Ian since joining, and yes I've also noticed the sea change as well.

As far as internet money goes, the real worry is whether it goes into the internet connection or a handbag - but then you have a practical way of checking on that right?

As far as the "flood gates" go, well if they open, then you accept the reality and tell'em to take a hike. If they're lucky, at least they got an internet connection out of you - which won't break your bank - and may open the path to untold wealth for them on thailovelinks

(edit: adding OPs name)

hehe thanks for the input BB, no doubt it would not be the wisest thing to start the habit of sending money..epecially when it was not asked for in the first place...and im sure there will come a time when it IS asked, and now that you mention the thailovelinks issue i think ill definately save my cash for such a time